Begonia plant named ‘BKPBEWFEP’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BKPBEWFEP’, characterized by its broadly outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; moderately freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and light red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Begonia boliviensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPBEWFEP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia boliviensis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKPBEWFEP’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freely flowering Begonia plants with attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2014 of a proprietary selection of Begonia boliviensis identified as code number 6502681, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia boliviensis identified as code number 6503660, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in March, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since May, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKPBEWFEP’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKPBEWFEP’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Moderately freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Light red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have light red-colored flowers         whereas plants of the female parent selection have         orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are darker green than         leaves of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia pendula X Begonia boliviensis ‘BKPBEWFER’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,959. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of ‘BKPBEWFER’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Begonia are not as dark green in         color as leaves of plants of ‘BKPBEWFER’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have light red-colored flowers         whereas plants of ‘BKPBEWFER’ have bright red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia pendula X Begonia boliviensis ‘Encanto Orange’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,898. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of ‘Encanto Orange’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Encanto Orange’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have light red-colored flowers         whereas plants of ‘Encanto Orange’ have bright orange- colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKPBEWFEP’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of upper and lower surfaces of typical developed and developing flowers and leaves of ‘BKPBEWFEP’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° to 21° C. Plants were six weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance arc used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia boliviensis ‘BKPBEWFEP’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             boliviensis identified as code number 6502681, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             boliviensis identified as code number 6503660, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 32 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 days             at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically beige in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots; plants             of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly outwardly spreading and             eventually hanging plant habit; plant shape roughly             flattened globular; moderately freely branching habit with             about six basal and lateral branches developing per plant;             moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 10.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 8.8             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 26.8 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 9.7 cm. Diameter:             About 6.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Strength:             Moderately weak, bending with the weight of the leaves and             flowers. Aspect: About 55° from the vertical and main stem             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color,             developing: Close to 152B. Color, fully developed: Close to             148A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 13.9 cm. Width: About 4.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Oblique; lobes not imbricate             to imbricate. Margin: Dentate to serrate; moderately             undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             152A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 183B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between 139A and             N189A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 183B; venation, close to 146C. Petioles:             Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Strength: Low. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 153A. Stipules: Quantity per leaf: Two.             Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margins: Entire, ciliate.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 181D; venation,             close to 185A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Rotate single male and female flowers;             flowers arranged in axillary cymes; freely flowering habit             with about three flowers per cyme and about 34 flowers             developing per plant; flowers nodding or drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 41             days after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             freely and continuously from spring into the autumn in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height (including peduncle).—About 9.6 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to             12 mm. Shape: Ovate; flattened. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: Close to 50B.         -   Male flowers.—Diameter: About 2.7 cm. Depth: About 3.7 cm.             Tepals: Quantity per flower and arrangement: Four in two             whorls. Length, outer tepals: About 4.4 cm. Length, inner             tepals: About 3 cm. Width, outer tepals: About 2.3 cm.             Width, inner tepals: About 8 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             ovate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety; matte to slightly glossy towards the             base. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 52B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 52A. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 50A; venation, close to 50A;             color does not fade with development. Tepaloids: None             observed on male flowers.         -   Female flowers.—Diameter: About 2.6 cm. Depth: About 3.6 cm.             Tepals: Quantity per flower and arrangement: Five in two             whorls. Length, outer tepals: About 3.2 cm. Length, inner             tepals: About 2.8 cm. Width, outer tepals: About 1.3 cm.             Width, inner tepals: About 8 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate to             ovate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety; matte to slightly glossy towards the             base. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 50A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             50A; venation, close to 50A; color does not fade with             development. Tepaloids: None observed on female flowers.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: About 70° from lateral branch axis. Strength:             Moderately weak; flexible and bending with the weight of the             flowers. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels, male and female flowers.—Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle: About 40° from the peduncle             axis. Strength: Moderately weak; flexible, bending with the             weight of the flowers. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Two, at             the top of the peduncles. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform. Apex: Abruptly acute. Base:             Cordate. Margin: Ciliate. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 179A to 179B; towards the base,             close to 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present only on male             flowers. Stamen quantity per flower: About 60. Filament             length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 17B. Anther             size: About 1.5 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Broadly oblong.             Anther color: Close to 4C. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 16C. Gynoecium: Present only on female             flowers. Quantity per flower: Three. Pistil length: About             8 mm. Stigma diameter: About 1.25 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft.             Stigma color: Close to 15A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style             color: Close to 31B. Ovary color: Close to 39B and 50A.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Begonia have been     observed to be resistant to Fusarium foetens. To date, resistance to     pests and other pathogens common to Begonia plants has not been     observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BKPBEWFEP’ as illustrated and described. 